LISD board approves raises for employees

Posted
Monday, June 11, 2018 12:10 pm

By KAYLA BOUCHARD, Hill Country News

The Leander ISD Board of Trustees gave final approval to a plan recommending raises averaging 2 percent for most district employees as well as an increase in the district’s contribution toward employee health insurance premiums at its June 7 board meeting.

The board approved recommendations contained in a study by LISD staff recommending a 2 percent, across-the-board salary increase for district employees, as well as an increase in the district’s contribution towards health insurance to $330 per employee per month starting next school year.

The motion had been considered at the board’s May 17 regular meeting before being officially approved during the June 7 workshop meeting.

Employee pay will increase by $1,054 and will affect the district’s 2,803 teachers at a cost of about $3 million annually.

In addition, another 790 office and paraprofessional employees will also see an increase of about 2 percent of pay, but employees in that group are also up for an adjustment in salary scale based. The 2 percent increase would cost the district $450,000 annually and the salary scale adjustment would cost another $749,000 annually. In total, 2,803 employees will be influenced by this measure at the start of the 2018-2019 school year.

While LISD will add $1 million to support employee health benefits, the additional funding will only help offset the annual health care inflation costs. Employees will most likely still see higher premiums for 2018–19 as a result of significant high-cost claims and rising health care costs across the state. Additional salary increases for some auxiliary and paraprofessionals positions will remain competitive in the local market. The LISD staff recommendation stated, “Healthcare costs continue to increase annually, and these increases are important to help cover some of these ongoing medical claim inflation costs.”

The LISD board will meet again on June 21 from 6:15 p.m. to 9 p.m. at 1900 Cougar Country Dr., Cedar Park.